NU rolls back exam fee for BSc forensic science

Nagpur: In a much-needed respite for Bachelor of Science (BSc) Forensic backlog students, the Nagpur University (NU) has cleared the air on exam fee to be levied. As per the latest notification, the undergraduate students would be charged only per backlog subject rather than coughing up the entire exam fee. The NU has fixed the per subject fee for this course at Rs230 while the Institute of Forensic Sciences was levying Rs1,115. Similarly, fee for two diploma, two masters forensic courses and one molecular masters would now be charged per subject for backlog students. Though the NU had taken the decision in 2015 followed by its ratification by statutory bodies to implement it from Summer exam of 2016, forensics was left out from the list of courses as the institute itself was established in 2016-17. Then, the NU was compelled to revise the fee after Aam Aadmi Party’s youth wing Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) had cornered vice chancellor SP Kane. The CYSS had presented comparative data from several universities on the exam fee pattern. On February 8, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) led by Vaibhav Bawankar confronted VC Kane over duality in the exam fee. However, the students’ cause was shadowed by alleged violence that erupted on the NU main building premises when ABVP delegation was present. Bawankar said we have also demanded refund of fee charged since 2016-17 as the university can’t have two different sets of rule for its students. “Our campaign got mired in unnecessary controversy and we were charged with a false case. But we will continue to push for demand the make the university pay back students money,” he said. Bawankar said the notification issued after NU bodies passed the proposal in 2016 carried a broad term BSc courses. “Even molecular biology and genetic engineering was left out from the list of courses,” he said. VC Kane told reporters that the earlier notification issued by university covered all exams. “It means it was applicable to all and there was no need to issue fresh clarifications as we conduct around 1,200 exams,” he said.

Kane said the university had taken the decision in the interest of students and suffered a loss of Rs15crore revenue. “If any student had reported to us, we would have taken action,” he said. Bawankar said the college and NU department were not ready to accept students claim in the absence of any notification.